The Confederation of African Football has imposed sweeping sanctions on both finalists of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with Senegal coach Pape Bouna Thiaw and Morocco midfielder Ismaël Saibari receiving the heaviest penalties following chaotic scenes during the tournament final.
The CAF Disciplinary Board announced on Wednesday that Thiaw has been suspended for five official matches and fined $100,000 “for his unsporting conduct in violation of the CAF Disciplinary Code principles of fair play and integrity and for bringing the game into disrepute.”
Saibari faces a three-match ban and a matching $100,000 fine “for his unsporting behaviour,” marking one of the tournament’s most severe individual punishments.
The sanctions stem from incidents during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final, which the governing body said “violated the CAF Disciplinary Code.”
News.ng recalls that there was controversy during the final between Senegal and Morocco, as the West African country staged a walkout in extra time to protest a penalty awarded to Morocco. The incident caused a 16-minute delay in the match.
The Senegalese team’s frustration had been building after seeing a late goal disallowed during regulation time, with the penalty decision in extra time proving to be the breaking point that triggered the walkout.
Following CAF’s investigation, Senegalese stars Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr were each suspended for two matches “for unsporting behaviour towards the referee,” while Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi received a two-match suspension, with one match suspended for one year.
The Senegal Football Federation received the brunt of the financial penalties, accumulating $615,000 in total fines. The federation was fined $300,000 “for the improper conduct of its supporters, which brought the game into disrepute,” and another $300,000 “for the unsporting conduct of their players and technical staff in violation of the CAF Disciplinary Code principles of fair play, loyalty and integrity.”
An additional $15,000 fine was imposed on Senegal “for the misconduct of its National Team, due to five of its players having received cautions.”
Morocco’s football federation was not spared either, receiving $315,000 in fines. The Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football was penalized $200,000 “for the inappropriate behaviour of the stadium’s ball boys” and $100,000 for players and technical staff who “invaded the VAR review area and obstructed the referee’s work, in violation of the principles of fair play and integrity.”
The FRMF also received a $15,000 fine “for the use of lasers by its supporters during the aforementioned match.”
In a final ruling, CAF “rejected the protest lodged by the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football regarding alleged violations by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.”
